1. Image: Black and white photo of a drag box being used to spread hotmix (bituminous concrete), this method was a cheap way to provide a smooth surface, 10 November 1937.

    Roads

    This is the story of how an efficient road system was created in South Australia

    Historical Subject | By Bill Stacy | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  2. Image: Two men in Victorian attire stand in front of a two-storey brick and bluestone building

    Sawtell's Nautical Optician

    The Port Adelaide business known colloquially as Sawtell’s ‘Nautical Optician’ was founded in 1853.

    Historical Subject | By James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910

  3. Image: Four men and a woman in university graduation attire sit on chairs and pose for a photograph

    Science

    Before and after the arrival of Europeans, Aboriginal peoples had a well-developed cultural understanding and practical knowledge of plants, animal behaviour, local geology and meteorological conditions. Information they provided was frequently vital to the success – and even survival – of early European navigators and explorers.

    Historical Subject | By Pauline Payne | Aboriginal Country pre-contact, early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  4. Image: Street sign

    Social structure

    Social structure and class are more than income and wealth and involve status, religion and ethnicity too

    Historical Subject | By Margaret Allen | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  5. Image: steam winnower

    Steam

    The steam engine became part of daily life, thanks to its industrial applications, powering modes of transport and agricultural machinery, and labour-saving utility

    Historical Subject | By Roger Cross | North Terrace, River Torrens, Rundle Street east | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  6. Image: photo of the members of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union

    Temperance

    The temperance movement saw the abolition of alcohol as a cure for society’s ills – and also believed it was an achievable goal.

    Historical Subject | By Judith Raftery | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  7. Image: Front view of a theatre building with cars driving in the foreground and people on the street

    Theatre

    South Australia’s theatrical beginnings were commercial and entrepreneurial: trade as much as art drove public houses and performance together.

    Historical Subject | By Gus Worby | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  8. Image: Black and white photo of an old observatory building.

    Time

    Within a year of settlement, Adelaide's residents were synchronising their timepieces by a bell rung in North Terrace near West Terrace at local noon.

    Historical Subject | By Bill Stacy | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  9. Image: People walking and others fishing with hand rods from a wooden jetty

    Tourism

    The South Australian Tourism Commission, established in 1993, focuses on marketing South Australia as a tourist destination to interstate and overseas markets.

    Historical Subject | By Lyn Leader-Elliot | North Terrace, Parklands | 1880s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010

  10. Image: People in a field picking grapes

    Viticulture

    The growing of grape vines dates from the earliest years of European settlement in South Australia.

    Historical Subject | By Dr Geoffrey Bishop | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  11. Sir John Langdon Bonython, 1926

    Wealth

    In South Australia, the prime key to wealth has been land. From its inception as a European colony, ownership (or control) of land meant access to agricultural and mineral resources. For the Aboriginal peoples, dispossession meant devastation.

    Historical Subject | By Martin P Shanahan | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  12. Image: display of bundles of wheat

    Wheat

    The story of wheat is more than the story of a versatile food grain. In South Australia, the history of the production, transport and marketing of wheat opens wider windows onto society, economics and politics.

    Historical Subject | By RFI Smith | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  13. Image: Close-up photograph of part of an historic, multi-storey stone building. The words ‘Est. 1870, William Russell Pty. Ltd., Sailmaker and Ship Chandler’ are painted on the shutter of one of the building’s second-floor windows

    William Russell Pty. Ltd.

    The large, three-storey historic stone building at 221-223 St. Vincent Street in Port Adelaide is one of the last vestiges of a business once integral to South Australia’s maritime commerce.

    Historical Subject | By James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s

Pages